One of Europe’s oldest art fairs, the Brussels BRAFA, will take place for the 70th time at Brussels Expo from January 26 to February 2, 2025. In its anniversary season, it will feature enhanced gallery participation and striking visual decor.
Starting in 1956 as a small salon with a dozen participating antique dealers catering to Belgium’s hereditary collectors, the Brussels fair grew steadily over the years, strengthening its reputation and attracting international gallerists, collectors, and museum professionals. Finally, it found its place on the international fair calendar, securing a strong media presence — today, it’s the first major event of the year to draw the attention of everyone in the art world. And that audience has grown tremendously: opening nights are packed to the brim, and throughout the following days, art lovers from across the globe come to view thousands of artworks and historical treasures.
The heightened interest in BRAFA in recent decades has stemmed from its — in the best sense — eclecticism. The content of participants’ booths grew exponentially, encompassing an ever-wider range of styles, eras, and movements in cultural history — and, in turn, attracting an increasingly diverse audience of enthusiasts. From enthusiasts of antiques, Old Master paintings, and African idols (a legacy of colonial interests), the selection committee expanded to include modernism, followed by decorative arts and design from all eras, and eventually contemporary art. In other words, it effectively developed the fair in line with international trends.
In addition, the organizers were the first to invite living artists as special guests several years ago, giving them carte blanche to decorate nearly all public areas, from the entrance lobby and VIP lounges to private meeting rooms. Today, the star of the Brussels fair will be Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, renowned for her large-scale sculptures and installations that reference traditional crafts, history, and the cultural codes of her homeland. She will bring her famous Valkyries to the exhibition spaces, which have become her signature pieces.
The anniversary edition will traditionally bring together a diverse group of 130 dealers from 16 countries. These include the fair’s veterans — Belgian Axel Vervoordt, whose owner taught the world to blend archeology with contemporary art elegantly, Guy Pieters Gallery with leading contemporary artists, Epoque Fine Jewels with vintage jewelry from prestigious jewelry houses; Parisian galleries such as Hélène Bailly with Impressionists, Alexis Lartigue Fine Art and Galerie Berès with selections of modernists, and Maison Rapin with collectible design. Old Master works will be brought by London’s Giammarco Cappuzzo Fine Art Gallery, Switzerland’s De Jonckheere, and France’s Galerie Florence de Voldère.
However, the real highlight of the upcoming season will be the prestigious “newcomers” who will be participating in the Brussels fair for the first time. For example, the British gallery Colnaghi, founded in 1760, which has served royal collections across Europe, including Russia. On its hit list will be a rare drawing by Jacob Jordaens and a painted Crucifixion by Willem Key. London’s Stoppenbach & Delestre will showcase a selection of Impressionists and Barbizon School artists. The Paris-Brussels Galerie Nathalie Obadia will bring stars of contemporary European art, while Galerie BG Arts will present unique jewelry and glassworks by René Lalique.
The highlight list of the fair is as eclectic as its lineup of participants. The highlights include a large wooden crucifix from the 15th century by Venetian master Michele Linder, crafted in an incredibly realistic style (Mearini Fine Art), a medieval Flemish tapestry The Martyrdom of Saint Barbara, created in the weaving center of Bruges (Dei Bardi Art), and a Capriccio by Canaletto, once owned by King George III of England (DYS44 Lampronti Gallery). A pompous Egyptian-style bed, crafted by cabinetmaker Louis Mallard for the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris (Galerie Marc Maison), will sit alongside macabre tribal masks from 19th-century Congo (Claes Gallery), while a diamond wedding tiara by Chaumet, once worn by the daughter of Count de Guerin, will be displayed next to a vintage rosewood table by Danish designer Bodil Kjær (Gokelaere & Robinson) and whimsical painted figures by George Condo (Galerie von Vertes).
Photo: brafa.art/GALERIE FLORENCE DE VOLDÈRE, brafa.art/GUY PIETERS GALLERY, brafa.art/GALERIE MARC MAISON, brafa.art/GALERIE DE LA BÉRAUDIÈRE
